Diplomatic dean suspends receptions

As a solidarity measure for the hundreds of victims and their families of the tragedy in Beslan, Russia, the dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Jakarta will suspend all farewell and welcome receptions starting from Sep. 9 to Dec. 1, 2004.

More than 1,200 people were taken hostage by the suspected Chechen rebels in Beslan last week in the Russian province of North Ossetia and at least 326 were killed and 727 wounded.

"The deanship of Diplomatic Corps has great confidence that the Diplomatic Corps, by doing this, its doing the least it could do, in expressing its revulsion and condemnation of this abhorrent and despicable act of outrage criminality and sharing the heartbreak with the bereaved families of the victims," Ribhi Y. Awad, the dean of the Diplomatic Corps, said in a statement sent to The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Ribhi, who is also Palestinian ambassador to Indonesia, is the longest serving ambassador in Jakarta.

The circular said the souvenirs, however, would continue to be presented to the departing ambassadors and their spouses as usual. -- JP